how to edit the eri.xml

I have been getting alot of PM's on how to edit the eri.xml (Verizon Wireless Banner) so hopefully this makes it easier for all. Also I know there is more than one way to do this and I welcome different ways and better suggestions. I am going to write what has worked for me and the tools I have used.

So here it goes

The eri.xml is located in the framework-res.apk which is inside the system/framework, to find it you will need Root Explorer from the Market. Once you have root explorer go into system/framework and long press on the framework-res.apk, hit copy and paste it on the Root of your SD and go ahead and rename it to framework-res.apk.bak

Connect to your P.C. and mount, drag over the framework-res.apk.bak and rename it to framework-res.zip (I use WinZip, some people use 7zip but since this is not a data app it really isn't necessary) open the .zip file and navigate to res/xml and this is where you will see the eri.xml drag it over to your Computer and to edit it you will need a Hex Editor. I use HxD (Google It) its easy and free.

Once you have HxD downloaded and installed open it and drag the eri.xml inside of it. On the right hand side you will see some lettering and codes that look like this

Where you see the words Verizon Wireless this is where you will be inserting your own 16 letter or less banner. To do this left click right before the last letter in the word Wireless and highlight the words Verizon Wireless from back to front. Your cursor will be at the V in Verizon and the banner will still be highlighted. While it is highlighted you will be able to change it to whatever you like. Start typing what you would like to have written there for example if you were to change it to Droid Assassin as you start to type, the D will overwrite the V and so on. If the old text is not being overwritten and all of the text on the right side is moving while you type then you are not doing something right, close it don't save and start over. When you have put in what you would like your banner to say, if there are still some of the letters from the original banner Verizon Wireless left use the spacebar and it will overwrite those letters with a blank space.

When you are done editing this save it and open your framework-res.zip again, go back to res/xml and drag your newly edited eri.xml into this folder and it will overwrite the old eri.xml

Remount your Droid to your P.C. and drag the framework-res.zip to the Root of your SD, unmount and go into Root Explorer and find the framework-res.zip and rename it to framework-res.apk (your original should still be on your SD named framework-res.apk.bak) I use Better Terminal to push my framework back into the system, you can use adb i am not sure about that process though. As I said I welcome someone who does know to post some instructions.

Thanks for this. Not so much for the editing of the banner (though I'm going to give it a shot) but for the quickie on editing an XML file.

If one was going to try and edit elsewhere, and the text that was going to replace existing was shorter/longer than existing, does it always need to be handled with the spacebar? What if longer (like the above example and your replacement was longer than 16 letter)?

If one was going to try and edit elsewhere, and the text that was going to replace existing was shorter/longer than existing, does it always need to be handled with the spacebar? What if longer (like the above example and your replacement was longer than 16 letter)?

BTW there's a typo, 16 letters, not words

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Thanks for the heads up on the typo, 16 words is almost a paragraph.

As far as using the spacebar to overwrite the remaining text you are trying to replace, I am sure that's the only way, and I have heard of people replacing shorter text with longer text, but not for the eri, for other places like you are talking about. I believe that in the Dark Edge Theme when you hold down the Power Button and the Shutdown Window pops up that text was Modified and is longer than Original

Also, the APKTOOL is amazing for decompiling any XMLs, editing them in their easy to read state, then recompile them..

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I tried to get the APK Tool up and running on my Computer and had problems with Environment Varaibles, there are some files within the framework-res.apk that are only accessible through the APK Tool, the framework/res/values/strings.xml to be specific